Gee Point Fire Lookout
Built 1932 – Abandoned 1964
Gee Point Fire Lookout started out as a small shake cabin, circa 1932. In the winter of 1933 the cabin was destroyed by snow. Later in 1934 a standard L-5 cab with windows and shutters opening in all directions, was constructed on site. This was located about 14 miles northwest of Darrington, in the area north of Segelsen Ridge. The lookout was at an elevation of 4,974 feet with views of Gee and Finney Creeks below, mountain vistas of Mt. Baker, Glacier Peak and Twin Sister. On a very clear day you can even see Mt. Ranier, the Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains beyond.
It was abandoned in 1964. At one time Forest Service Road #1722 use to reach the lookout, it since has a portion of the road decommissioned. Today there is a user built trail going to the old lookout site, a hike of about 3 miles.
Glacier Ridge Fire Lookout
Built 1936 – Abandoned 1957
Glacier Ridge Fire Lookout was a very remote lookout with a 40 foot tower with L-4 cab atop it. The lookout was located 3 miles northwest of Glacier Peak on the Glacier Ridge at an elevation of 5,160 feet. By 1962 the lookout had come down.
Gold “Hill” Mountain Fire Lookout
Built 1915 Abandoned 1916
Gold Mountain was not just the first lookout built in the Darrington area but it was also the first lookout established in northwest Washington. It was built in 1915 and was an early “rag house”, a simple tent on an elevated platform supported by four steel post. Rowland Atchson was our first lookout man and it during his year that he spotted the devastating Fire Creek Fire on White Chuck Mountain in 1916 saving countless acres of valuable timber.
The Lookout was located 4 miles of Darrington up by Lake Angeline at an elevation of 3,300 feet. After such a first very successful year, the lookout was moved to the higher Jumbo Mountain, an elevation of 5,801 feet in 1916. For the next two decades fire lookouts will be built on most major peaks in the country. In 1981 some of the old steel supports still existed.
Green Mountain Fire Lookout
Built 1919 – Still Standing
Green Mountain Lookout is located 17 miles east of Darrington on Green Mountain, elevation 6,500 feet. Green Mountain’s first Fire Lookout was a camp in 1919. In 1933 the CCC L-4 Cab with windows in all directions. It continued to serve in this capacity into the 1980s. When aerial fire surveillance became the norm wilderness rangers were stationed at the lookout. A cedar shake cabin was built below the lookout in 1942 and has since been removed. In 1987 the lookout was listed on the National Register Of Historic Places.
For decades the old fire lookout has been the destination of the Green Mountain where hikers could gaze out from the windows to the surrounding mountains. After many years and high elevation winters the lookout was closed to the public due to an unstable catwalk and a failing foundation. Forest Service rehabilitation of the lookout began in 1998. The project received wide public support and Washington State Historic Preservation concurrence, and grant funding was received. Restoration began in 1999. The first plan was to repair the structure on site, but efforts failed in 2000 due to heavy snows. At risk of loosing the structure, the lookout was disassembled, each piece being carefully tagged so they could be reassemble it later. The lookout was lifted by helicopter and taken to the Darrington Ranger Station for restoration.
In 2003 and 2006 severe storms washed out roads making them undriveable, by 2009 access finally improved allowing the foundation to be repaired and the pieces were flown back by helicopter and re-assembled at the site. The Green Mountain Lookout restoration was sued by Wilderness Watch charging that the Forest Service was in violation of the Wilderness Act by reinstating the lookout to Green Mountain, the place where it once was built and served so long. Due to overwhelming public outcry, actions of the Darrington Historical Society and eventually an act of US Congress, this lookout will remain on it’s mountain overlooking the surrounding mountain and a warm dry haven for the wilderness traveler.
Huckleberry Mountain Fire Lookout
Built 1935 – Destroyed 1962
Huckleberry Mountain was built in 1935 and was an L-5 cab. The lookout was located about 20 miles north east in the Suiattle River drainage from Darrington. It was burned by vandals in 1962.
The Huckleberry Mountain Trail still follows the route to the old lookout site. It’s a real workout starting at 1,000 feet elevation and ending at 7 miles at 5, 865 feet elevation.
Jumbo Mountain Fire Lookout
Built 1916 – Abandoned date unknown
Jumbo Mountain Fire Lookout was constructed in 1916 and was a rock platform tower with a “Rag House” which was a primitive canvas tent. Later abandoned (date unknown). This lookout was located 4 miles south of Darrington on the southeastern peak, elevation 5,801 feet. The first Lookout man was Rowland Atchson, also first lookout man for the previous lookout for Gold Hill – 1915 – 1916.
Miners Ridge Fire Lookout
Built 1926 – cabin, 1938 – tower & cab – Still standing
The first Fire Lookout constructed on Miner’s Ridge in 1926, was a 10 by 10 foot cedar shake cabin. In 1938 an L-4 cab on a 20 foot tower was constructed. The lookout was refurbished in 1953. This Fire Lookout is now on the National Historic Lookout Register and is located 8 miles northeast of Glacier Peak on Miner’s Ridge, elevation 6,210 feet. About 2 times during the summer months, the lookout would have supplies packed in, a standard list of the same things over and over leading to some pretty creative cooking. Later supplies were dropped by airplanes in burlap sacks and you hoped your contents wouldn’t scatter to far when the sacks gave way. Towards the end of the of the lookouts several of the lookouts received supplies lowers from rope from helicopters.
Fire lookouts were built to withstand very deep snows and had shutters that closed to protect the cab from severe winds. Most of the lookout’s life, the lookout was closed and unmanned during winter months, how ever during WII several of the lookouts were manned during winter to watch for enemy aircraft.
Mt. Higgins Fire Lookout
Built 1918 – camp, 1926 – cupala cabin – Destroyed 1965
Mt. Higgins Fire Lookout started out as a camp in 1918, by April of 1920 a contract was submitted to build a cab on this site. Later in 1926 a cupala cabin was built on the site. The lookout was abandoned in 1949, later destroyed by heavy snow, the date is unknown, however records indicate it had been destroyed by 1965. The children of Hazel, Washington, now all grown, still recall the last “lookout man” as playful. At night he would shine his light below at the small settlement and they in return would shine their flashlights up above at him.
The ruins of the old lookout are still on Mt. Higgins and can be seen when hiking the Mt. Higgins Trail #640, at this time road access is gated adding about an additional hike / road walk to the 4.5 mile hike.
Mt. Pugh Fire Lookout
Built 1916 – camp, 1919 cupola cabin – Destroyed 1965
Mt. Pugh Fire Lookout was established in 1916 as a rock platform alidade and “Rag House” tent. In 1919 a D-6 cupola cabin was constructed and Nels Bruseth manned the lookout. Every Saturday after his 5:00 fire report he would RUN down the mountain to take his girl friend Beate to the weekly dance in Darrington, Nels loved to dance. He never failed to be back to the lookout by the crack of dawn ready for another week’s work. Later Nels asked Beate for her hand in Marriage. Nels and his bride spent their honeymoon at the Mt. Pugh Fire Lookout, and “manned” the lookout together.
The lookout later burned after a lightning strike. A tent and alidade replaced the destroyed lookout and continued serving, watching for fires. In 1927 the lookout was rebuilt again in its original location and tent removed. Mt. Pugh Lookout was later abandoned and in 1965 it was destroyed. The location of this lookout was 13 miles southeast of Darrington right on the peak of Mount Pugh, elevation 7,201. Today you can hike to the old lookout location on the Mt. Pugh Trail #644.